'Good And Evil In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness'

Superior Essays
The nineteenth century was built around the revival of religious activity and hasn’t been the same since the Puritan times. The bible during these times was taken seriously and as the literal truth, the foundation of moral behavior became known as Victorianism. “It was believed that if religion was accepted by all that standards would create the end to crime and poverty” (Clifton 1). At this time there were many different types of religions one could follow and many different standards/rituals religious groups would commit to. For example, a religion that is dualistic admits not only that the universe contains good and evil or light and darkness, but that these forces are at constant war and only at the end will good finally conquer evil. Christianity, …show more content…
Good and evil here are not related but are two independent entities, different in mental and physical attributes and are constantly at war with each other. Evil now does not require the existence of good so it’s basically survival of the fittest and as depicted as being more powerful and more enjoyable of the two. He soon begins to fall into temptation and fails to keep the evil side of his person controlled because he becomes addicted to his own experiments, which allows the evil side of his person the freedom it desires. This actually leads to the death of Dr. Jekyll. The novel is a great example of dualism and of how if we don’t learn to cope with our inner beings by accepting who we are and submitting to the unknown, then in the end we end up creating our own enemy/weakness. This if given access to mentally/spiritually can lead to the destruction of one’s health …show more content…
Like in the novel “Dracula” the author Bram Stoker uses religious symbols related to Catholicism and Christianity throughout the novel in the battle of good against evil. To start off, Jonathan Harker’s hesitant, but eventually frantic use of the crucifix given to him in Bistriz. Which at first he takes only because it seems, “so ungracious to refuse an old lady meaning so well and in such a state of mind” (Stoker 4). This is a symbol of the readers as they go into this world full of evil, fear and strange religions. Throughout the novel, the characters, both figuratively puts faith in and physically use the devices of their religious beliefs as a weapon against the forces of evil. The first use of the crucifix is accidental, as “the count” reaches towards the shaving cut on Jonathan’s throat, “his hand touched the string of beads which held the crucifix. It made an instant change in him, for the fury passed so quickly that I could hardly believe it was ever there” (Stoker 28). Despite his initial misgivings about the crucifix, he quickly begins to see Catholicism as the lesser of the two evils, but is still comforted by the crucifix given to him. “I shall not fear to sleep in any place where he is not. I have placed the crucifix over the head of my bed I imagine that my rest is thus freer from dreams, and there it shall remain” (Stoker 35). The character Van Helsing first introduces the use

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